Exclusive Reports
From the August 11, 2000 print edition

PGE Park floated as temporary MLB home
Andy Giegerich Business Journal Staff Writer
The Portland Oregon Sports Authority has stepped to the plate as local enthusiasts attempt to land a Major League Baseball franchise.

POSA has begun working with the Portland Baseball Group in seeking potential investors to attract a Major League Baseball team to relocate here in the next two years. POSA and the baseball group believe they can attract a struggling franchise to the Rose City. However, they will be cmpeting with the D.C. Sports & Entertainment Commission in Washington, D.C.

The key to such a move would be the availability of a MLB-sanctioned ballpark. POSA and the Portland Baseball Group believe it's possible they can offer newly renamed PGE Park as a temporary home until a new facility can be built.

Such an agreement, though, hinges on several factors. Local baseball officials would have to receive permission from the city and local neighborhoods to amend the Good Neighbor Agreement reached last spring. The agreement states that Portland Family Entertainment, which will manage PGE Park for the city, will not allow more than one regular season home game by a Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer or National Football League team.

"To use [PGE Park] temporarily, for a season, is a possibility, but we all recognize that would take some work," said Randy Miller, POSA's president. "It would take a while to build a stadium, so it might be a temporary fix if the Good Neighbor Agreement would permit it.

"But because it's so far in the future, there's no reason to pursue the stadium discussion at this point."

PFE's management deal with the city includes a clause that could bump its Triple-A minor league team from PGE Park if Portland attracts a MLB team. The city retains the right to replace PFE as stadium operator if Portland gets a MLB franchise in the future.

Tim Grewe, the city attorney who's working with PFE on stadium issues, said baseball proponents "can't jump to the conclusion that they can just substitute major league ball for minor league ball. We really believe if MLB is coming to town, it will have to be in a stadium other than [PGE Park]."

The Portland Baseball Group has said it wants to build a baseball stadium just north of Northeast Broadway and the Rose Garden complex, and hopes to attract state funds for stadium construction. The group, through sports broker Game Plan LLC, is still seeking a potential Portland ownership group that would purchase an existing team.

Lynn Lashbrook, president of the Portland Baseball Group, believes PGE Park neighbors would support allowing a MLB franchise to temporarily use the park.

"My personal opinion, not representing any particular group, is that something like that could be mitigated as long as the neighborhood received what it needs out of a two-year deal," Lashbrook said.

"We would probably need a two-year window to get another major league team at another site, and I think the city and neighborhood groups would help out for the short term. It's only nine more games [than a Triple-A season], and there's a cap on the crowd. The concerns about Major League Baseball would be that it would draw 40,000 people 80 nights a year. That couldn't happen [at PGE Park]."

The POSA/baseball group partnership is one that, according to Miller, helps make both groups' missions more cohesive.

"There's unity in this long-term vision, and everyone realizes that the goal is to get baseball here in Portland," he said. "We've simply pulled together resources from both organizations to support a common theme and common vision.

"The baseball group was an unaffiliated group of people who are interested in baseball, a lot of individuals of different persuasions who had no cohesion. We came together with them to make sure we're not combating what they're doing. Our ultimate vision is to bring Major League Baseball here."

PFE spokesman Mike Delman joined Miller in stressing that POSA has not broken away from PFE.

"They're supporting bringing Major League Baseball to Portland, but they're also very supportive of PFE managing the stadium in its current form," said Delman, noting that PFE chairman Marshall Glickman is a POSA board member.

Added Lashbrook: "I commend PFE, and we'll do everything in our campaign to support the [Triple-A Albuquerque Dukes, the franchise purchased to play next year in PGE Park]. If we don't support the Dukes, it will really hurt Major League Baseball in Portland. Marshall and I are on the same page."

Portland and Washington are targeting the usual suspects: the Minnesota Twins, Oakland A's and Montreal Expos--teams in cities unwilling to meet their demands for a new ballpark or unable to offer the necessary corporate climate to fill luxury suites and premium seats.

The Portland Sports Authority joined other Oregonians in pursuing a major league franchise early this year.

"We were working on the same issue," said Drew Mahalic, executive director of the authority. "Our job is to bring the highest level of sport to our region and our state. We both came to the conclusion that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

Earlier this summer, the Portland Sports Authority and Portland Baseball hired Game Plan LLC, an investment banking firm, to help identify potential backers. Architect HOK Sport has been hired to review potential sites for a new ballpark.

Mahalic said chasing a major league team is not unlike what sports commissions typically do in bidding for a major sporting event. The task often requires the panel to coordinate government and business efforts to make their city the most attractive destination.

Getting a major league team will not be easy for either the Portland or Washington groups. Baseball has not allowed a franchise to relocate since the Washington Senators left D.C. for Texas in 1972. The move was the second time the city lost a major league team. An earlier version of the Senators left for Minnesota in 1961.

Lashbrook said his group will unveil a corporate sponsor in two weeks that will distribute 10,000 window decals in support of big league baseball. The group will also kick off a massive State Legislature lobbying drive this fall in hopes of getting state stadium funds.

John Rofé of Steet & Smith's SportsBusiness Journal contributed to this report.

From the Portland Business Journal 08/11/00